合十

héshí

verb #27,475

Meanings

1 to put one's palms together (in prayer or greeting)
2 to press hands together in a gesture of respect

Characters

to join; to close together

ten (the ten fingers)

Examples

僧人合十向信徒行礼。

Sēngrén héshí xiàng xìntú xínglǐ.

The monk put his palms together to greet the believers.

她合十低头，默默祈祷。

Tā héshí dītóu, mòmò qídǎo.

She pressed her palms together, bowed her head, and prayed silently.

Tips

culture

合十 refers to the Buddhist gesture of pressing the palms together with fingers pointing upward, known in Sanskrit as añjali. It is used as a greeting, sign of respect, or in prayer across Buddhist and Hindu traditions. In Chinese contexts it is strongly associated with Buddhist practice.

memory

十 means 'ten' — imagine all ten fingers pressing together.

Stroke Order

合 hé

十 shí